About Time (2013)

 

 
Director: Richard Curtis

If you're looking for another chick flick or sikly-sweet film, About Time is not the one you should waist your time on. Why? Well... because it's much more than that.

The story is simple. After a crazy New Year's Eve, a young British boy finds out that he, just like his father, has the ability to travel in time. From now on, Tim tries to fix all the things he does wrong, so that he would finally be contented with his life. But not everything that has been broken once can be repaired again. Being happily married and having become a solicitous father, Tim understands that life can sometimes give you a hard time and surprise you in a negative way, but you have to accept it and learn from the past.

The Vow (2012)

 

Director: Michael Sucsy

"The vow" is another chick flick that might not has the ending we all have waited for. The main characters Paige and Leo are played by our loved romantic films actors Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum. The storyline is divided into 3 parts - before the accident, the day of accident and after the accident. Yes, car crash and its created consequences played a major role in the film.

Paige, a successful artist, and Leo, a self-founded record company's manager, are happily married when suddenly happens the worst. After the car accident Leo emerges unharmed but Paige.... doesn't remember anything that happened during the last 3 or even 4 years (that means she also doesn't remember that she is married.) . Now Leo has to make his wife to fall in love with him again. 

The road to Paige's heart is very long. I can understand her however I never want to know how does the lose of memory feels like. Waking up and finding out you are married to a stranger and know nothing about your current life is a big deal. But I was more sorry for Leo. He was even more hurt because he knew the truth. How would you feel if one day your wife/husband or girlfriend/boyfriend remembers only the time before she/he met you?

I have to admit that I cried a little bit and that's huge for me because I've never cried while watching Titanic or The Notebook. I am emotional but the plot has to be really sad in order to make me cry. I was also amazed by Channing. He's not so poor actor as I firstly thought he was. (Despite that, in my opinion, he's still part of the middle class of acting.)

This story was inspired by true events. The "real life" Paige never regained her memory. You have to watch the film to find out how she spent the rest of her life. One thing now I know for sure - nothing can cause bigger pain than losing someone you truly love.

All in all, I waited from "The vow"  so much more, I was kinda disappointed of how the story was going. And, as far as I know, I'm not the only one. You can watch this film but don't wait anything creditable. I actually don't understand why it was released just before the Valentines day because it's more sad than joyous, however "happily ever after" did happen.

Midnight in Paris (2011)

Director and writer: Woody Allen

What can you expect before watching one of the Woody's films? Of course nothing boring, more like something unbelievable. This film is not an exception. In the first minutes of it I felt the Parisian atmosphere and charm. I was already interested before the story actually began.

The main character Gil (Owen Wilson), not very successful writer (the new novel is about Paris in 1920s), and his wife Inez (Rachel McAdams) have traveled to Paris to relax before the wedding. There they meet their friends (Paul and Carol) who are also Americans and decide to spent the free time together.

It's self-evident that Inez and Gil aren't born to be together. They are so different and have different thoughts of a perfect life. He loves Paris, specially in the rain, and feels that it's the right place to live and write a great novel, she - wants to return to USA. Oh... Who wouldn't love to live in Paris, at least for a while?

No wonder Gil wants to spend his time alone, apart from everyone, especially Paul, who thinks he knows everything about anything. (It seems he is more suitable for Inez.)

One day after an exhausting party Gil walks home alone and in the midnight suddenly a solid 20s car crosses his way and the passengers welcome him "on the board". And now the unbelievable things start to happen. Day after day Gil meets famous painters, writers and other great artists of the 1920s (what an amazing coincidence), including Ernest Hemingway, Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali etc. He is taken back to the "golden ages" and that leads Gil to developing his writing skills and revaluing the current life.

Woody Allen is a consummate master of his craft. Ho knows what he is doing. "Midnight in Paris" is like a cherry on the top of the cake. (Now I really must go to Paris in the near future) The film is so unbelievable that in the end you start thinking that it actually can happen (nothing is impossible) and what would you do in that case.

I highly recommend watching this film everyone who wants to get to know something more about life in the 20s and Paris by itself.  Oh and don't be scared, it's not a serious drama, I perceive it more like a comedy (we all know how Woody loves to joke) with a little shadow of nostalgia. Alluring!

J'aime Paris!